Christopher Day 
This partnership review will break down one of the industry’s leading Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) providers, FanDuel. Through its model of simplicity and convenience, FanDuel has been one of, if not the premier DFS provider to the industry since its founding. The combination of its detailed website and functional mobile application make it the perfect destination for DFS players to get started and later be at the top of the DFS world player rankings.
The Basics
FanDuel has been perfecting their model since founding in 2009. Currently, FanDuel has every sport available, including NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, PGA, NCAAB, CFB, NASCAR, Soccer, MMA, and more recently, eSports, all of which can be seen on both their website and mobile application under “Lobby”.
When selecting your sport ofchoice, there will be two types of contests available: cash games andGuaranteed Prize Pools (GPPs). Cash games are comprised of 50/50s andmultipliers (double ups, triple ups, etc.) where 45%-50% of the field will win.GPPs are much larger contests, where the number of entrants in the tournamentvaries from small fields of 50-100 players to over 100,000. Typically, 16%-25%of the field will win in these types of contests, with payouts varyingdepending on both the size of the contest and the entry fee but are greaterthan that of cash games.
Contest Types
Full Rosters
FanDuel’s lineup construction isfavorable and enjoyable to both newcomers to the DFS industry and experiencedplayers across all sports. Every sport that FanDuel offers has the option toenter contests with full rosters should it be preferred to the options listedbelow. Full roster formats often have the biggest payouts, specifically inGuaranteed Prize Pool (GPP) tournaments. There is no sport that is the same onFanDuel which makes building daily full roster lineups exciting. MLB lineupsconsist of one player per position, with FanDuel putting a lot of emphasis onthe selection of the starting pitcher while NBA lineups follow suit by beingcomprised of two players at every position, with the exception of only needingto select one center.
Single Game
FanDuel’s single game was recentlyintroduced and has had great success in its short tenure. The DFS provider’sSingle Game format is most popular in NFL but has an increasing number of usersin other sports as well, such as NBA and eSports. The Single Game format hasthe same salary component as regular lineups and features an “MVP” position inits lineup construction that provides 1.5x the points of a player in a “Flex”position in a contest that does not have a “Star” or “Pro” position. Wherethere are “Star” and “Pro” positions, the “MVP”, “Star”, and “Pro” positionsprovide 2x, 1.5x, and 1.2x the points, respectively, than that of a “Flex”player. FanDuel differs from the competition by having consistent salaries;whether your player is in a “MVP”, “Star”, “Pro”, or “Flex” position, theirsalary remains the same.
Quick Pick
This is one of FanDuel’s most funcontests for both entry-level and experienced players because it takes thecomplications of distributing salaries out of the question. By selectingplayers in each “tier”, players are likely to have duplicate lineups but candifferentiate themselves from the field in the sixth spot which gives you thechoice to round out your lineup with anyone from the field of availableplayers! Players on a given slate are typically distributed into “tiers” by acombination of fantasy points per game (FPPG) and their salary in the fullroster format.
Lineup Construction
FanDuel’s lineup construction issimple and repetitive, which is perfect for amateur Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS)players and is also relieving for experienced players since they do not have toconsider the competition’s advanced variables, such as players being eligiblefor multiple positions and “MVPs” having different salaries in single gamecontests. FanDuel has a collection of underrated features when constructinglineups, including the search function, recommended players to start your lineupsvia Guru Suggestions in the form of “studs”, players on a hot streak, “valueplays”, players that will see a usage increase due to another player’s injury,and targeted matchups, recent game logs and statistics, and displaying aplayer’s fantasy points per game (FPPG) on the season. Over the course of aprofessional sport’s season, salaries fluctuate based on recent performance andinjuries on a given team albeit sporadically; salaries are fairly consistentthroughout the season, making it easier to construct your FanDuel lineupsday-to-day.
Contest Selection
FanDuel has a wide variety ofcontests available to Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) players of all kinds. On anygiven night, FanDuel can have more than 100 contests available – per sport!While it may be confusing as to which contest is best for you, FanDuel helpsyou narrow it down with advanced filter options, transparency, andorganization. When on both the mobile application and the website, players havefilter options that will help them determine their choice a contest type listedabove, the start time of the slate, the entry fee, prize pool, and the maximumamount of entries allowed. FanDuel is also transparent in their tournaments’payout structures by prompting it immediately after clicking on the contest;the payout structure can also be found under “Prizes” when clicking theadditional information logo on the mobile application. FanDuel also divides itscontest types at the top of the page so that you can find the type of contestyou’d want to play before narrowing your choice down to an individual contest.
Mobile Application
When unavailable to build and editlineups from a computer, FanDuel’s mobile application is there to help you!There is almost every feature available on mobile that there is on theirwebsite, such as viewing the lobby, selecting contests and filter options,editing lineups/players, and administrative actions such as account changes anddeposits and withdrawals. Most recently, FanDuel had a tremendous addition toits mobile application: the ability to reserve contests by paying the fee uponreservation and setting your lineup later on. Although there are somefunctionalities on the web that are unavailable on the mobile application, suchas setting a profile picture and replacing an injured player in multiplelineups at once, FanDuel’s mobile application is user-friendly and a greatasset to both the company and Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) players alike.
Special Events
Every season, FanDuel has their annual live final for each of the three major sports: basketball (NBA), baseball (MLB), and football (NFL). This is an exclusive event where a selected number of contestants win tickets in contests during the regular seasons of the respective sport. With the largest prize pools known in the Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) industry, live finals are an extravagant trip where leisure meets our love for the game.
World Fantasy Basketball Championship (WFBBC)
Although the 2020 WFBBC has been put on pause, there is no denying that FanDuel had originally planned for an extravagant event. Totaling $2.5M in prizes, including $500,000 to first, FanDuel had planned to fly contestants and one guest down to Los Angeles free of charge, have hotel accommodations paid for, two tickets to a Lakers vs Rockets game, and an after party featuring a live concert from Snoop Dogg. WinDaily will be represented by Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) professional and staff member Javi Prellezo, who won two tickets to this year’s event.
World Fantasy Baseball Championship (WFBC)
The 2019 WFBC held in San Diego featured 125 contestants battling for a share of $2M in total prizes, including $500,000 to first place. In addition to paying for flight and hotel accommodations, FanDuel provides its contestants with two tickets to a Padres vs Red Sox game and an after party with a live concert. WinDaily was represented with four total seats featuring Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) professionals and staff members Javi Prellezo, David Jones, and James Rocker.
World Fantasy Football Championship (WFFC)
The 2019 WFFC was held in Puerto Rico. Featuring $2.5M in prizes, including $500,000 to first, WinDaily was represented with six total seats featuring Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) professionals and staff members David Jones and Javi Prellezo, joined by our founder and Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) professional Jason Mezrahi. With a plethora of events daily and a concert by none other than Ludicrous, the 2019 WFFC was one for the ages.
FanDuel Scout
To accompany their mobileapplication, FanDuel released an adjoining mobile application, FanDuel Scout. Poweredby NumberFire, FanDuel’s secondary mobile application is a great asset for allplayers in the Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) industry by providing player news,articles, team updates, and more. FanDuel Scout syncs automatically when youlog in with your FanDuel credentials is completely FREE! FanDuel Scout providesFanDuel players with a significant edge by providing important player updatesthroughout the day, game analysis and predictions, and the option to addplayers to a “Watchlist” to keep your eyes on certain players.
In 2018, FanDuel released FanDuelSportsbook to give sports bettors and Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) players anopportunity to share the same platform. Using the same mobile application asDaily Fantasy Sports (DFS), those that bet on sporting events can now useFanDuel Sportsbook and its advanced features. The website itself is wellorganized, being able to sort by sport or type of bet (futures, in-play,popular). There are daily promotions for new accounts, in addition to FanDuel’s“Odds Boost” bets where they increase the standard odds provided by othersportsbooks, giving you the chance for a higher payout on a winning wager.
